Vogue Obsession: Busting stress with adult colouring books

Was the last time you filled in a colouring book with a crayon around the same time you were forced to gulp a glass of Complan? Well, things have changed. Colouring is no longer just for kids, and books for adults are currently topping bestseller lists, with many of us using them to help us relax. “The relaxation that colouring provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress,” says Spain-based psychologist Gloria Martinez Ayala, who has studied the merits of art therapy extensively. “It takes us back to childhood, when we had less stress.” So next time you have a tough day, lose yourself in a pattern. Here are some of our favourite books to get you started: